Change the default installation folder for the C# version of DP Framework 4.0?

I'm trying to install the C# version of the 4.0 framework on my Windows XP workstation at work. It appears the msi file is configured to use the "~\My Documents\DoFactory Pattern 4.0 CS" as the target installation folder. The My Documents folder on my workstation is mapped to a network drive which the DP Framework msi file is unable to access. I'd like to install the framework into a different target folder but the msi app fails right away (due to the access problem mentioned above) and does not give me the option to change the target folder.

Just so you know, the installation program doesprompt you which folder to install. However, it never reaches that point because apparently it tries to determine the space requirements and then generates an error if your \My Documents\ folder has been mapped to a network share. We've had a couple other users with similar problems.

In researching this, we discovered that even Microsoft Office installations experience the same problem.
To the best of our knowledge, it seems to be related to some configuration on your machine. Either

1) how exactly the drive is mapped (with a drive letter as opposed to a UNC), or
2) an erroneous registry entry (possibly due to some past OS changes that were made)

As a work-around you could temporarily remove the mapping. Then run the installer and specify a local folder, say C:\DPF 4.0 CS\. However, your network people may not like this.

Here is another way to get going:

Install on a standalone machine (at least a machine that does not have the \My Documents\ mapping. Then copy the entire folder \DoFactory Patterns 4.0 CS\ to a location on your original machine. This is easy because all projects and documents reside under that folder.

The installation program creates 9 menu shortcuts which you will not have on your target machine. You can manually create these (or desktop shortcuts), or you can directly launch the documents and solutions by double clicking their names.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do on our side, in terms of changing the install program, but hopefully this points you in the right direction.

4 comments

while the workarounds are acceptable, it would be nice if you guys offered a download that was just the files... the install is nice for some people i'm sure, but it's really just the files we need. and in this case (no fault of yours of course), the install gets in the way of getting those files. --- Kent BlankenshipJul 30, 2010

It is simply not acceptable that the MSI has this flaw, regardless of whether it is a configuration error in Windows or not. Either supply the files in a zip or correct the MSI so it has another path as default. --- Henrik SkyumOct 12, 2012

Another workaround that does work is execute the MSI installation using the following format: msiexec /i 'c:\temp\DesignPatternFrameworkCS_4.0_1User\Design Pattern Framework 4.0 CS.msi' TARGETDIR=&quot;c:\temp\DOPatterns&quot; --- Roman RozinovNov 05, 2012